Continuous measurement of heart rate as an indicator of the energy expenditure of sheep

Abstract

1. The relationship between the heart rate and the energy expenditure of four sheep, S₆, S₇, S₈ and S₁, was studies under conditions known to increase energy metabolism.2. A close relationship between heart rate and energy expenditure was shown to exist in three of the four sheep tested when energy expenditure was increased by cold exposure and by increased levels of food intake.3. The source and magnitude of the errors associated with this relationship were studied by analysis of the variation occurring in the O₂ pulse (ml O₂/heart beat) of the sheep in response to factors other than those directly related to changes in heart rate. In two sheep, S₈ and S₆, variations in O₂ pulse were random. The errors associated with the estimation, from heart rate measurements, of the energy expenditure of these sheep were ±6.8% and ±8.1% respectively. In the other two sheep, S₇ and S₁, O₂ pulse tended to vary significantly during the experiments, in a way that was not directly related to changes in heart rate. The errors of the relationship in these sheep were ±8.6% and ±13.8% respectively.4. Indirect evidence was obtained to suggest that continuous measurements of heart rate continued to reflect with reasonable accuracy the energy expenditure of the three sheep, S₆, S₇ and S₈ when they were standing and lying and when they were eating.5. Direct measurements were made of the O₂ consumption and heart rate of sheep S₇ and S₁ during the act of eating. The energy expenditure of sheep S₇ estimated from its O₂ consumption was close to that estimated from measurements of its heart rate. Large errors were noted between these two estimates in sheep S₁.6. It was concluded that sheep S₈ and S₆ would be suitable for long-term experiments designed to predict energy expenditure from heart rate measurements made in the field. Sheep S₇ was considered to be of limited value for short-term experiments. Sheep S₁ was considered to be unsuitable.